Long Description:In Boston, in Ashburton Park on the east side of the Massachusetts State House is a tall column with a eagle on top. This monument is in rememberance of the American Revolutionary War.

The monument is actually a rebuilt granite column with the original slate plaques. There is a separate bronze plaque that explains this:

"In 1634 the general court caused a beacon to be placed on the top of this hill.

"In 1790 a brick and stone monument designed by Charles Bulfinch replaced the beacon but was removed in 1811 when the hill was cut down.

"It is now reproduced in stone by the Bunker Hill Monument Association, 1898."

The four slate plaques are as follows:

East Tablet

"TO COMMEMORATE THAT TRAIN OF EVENTS WHICH LED TO THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND FINALLY SECURED LIBERTY AND INDEPENDENCE TO THE UNITED STATES THIS COLUMN IS ERECTED BY THE VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION OF THE CITIZENS OF BOSTON M D C C X C."

"AMERICANS WHILE FROM THIS EMINENCE SCENES OF LUXURIANT FERTILITY OF FLOURISHING COMMERCE & THE ABODES OF SOCIAL HAPPINESS MEET TOUR VIEW FORGET NOT THOSE WHO BY THEIR EXERTIONS HAVE SECURED TO YOU THESE BLESSINGS."

North Tablet

"CAPTURE OF HESSIANS AT TRENTON DEC: 26. 1776. CAPTURE OF HESSIANS AT BENNINGTON. AUG: 16. 1777. CAPTURE OF BRITISH ARMY AT SARATOGA OCT: 17. ALLIANCE WITH FRANCE FEB: 6. 1778. CONFEDERATION OF UNITED STATES FORMED JULY 9. CONSTITUTION OF MASSACHUSETTS FORMED 1780. BOWDOIN PRESIDENT OF CONVENTION. CAPTURE OF BRITISH ARMY AT YORK OCT: 19. 1781. PRELIMENARIES OF PEACE NOV: 30. 1782. DEFINITIVE TREATY OF PEACE SEPT: 10. 1783. FEDERAL CONSTITUTION FORMED SEPT: 17. 1787. AND RATIFIED BY THE UNITED STATES 1787. TO. 1790. NEW CONGRESS ASSEMBLED AT NEW YORK APRIL. 6. 178! WASHINGTON INAUGURATED PRESIDENT APRIL 30. PUBLIC DEBTS J'UNDED AUG : 4. 1790."

The hill was cutdown and the soil hauled off to fill in the shore around the small Shawmut Peninsula that Boston then resided in. Essentially Boston Common was up to 60 feet higher than it is today, and the other two hills that used to exist are no longer.

The monument is easily accessible. Pass through the Ashburton Place Gate to the monument a few feet away. While there, look at other memorials in this part, including the Massachusetts Fallen Firefighters Memorial to the left.

Type of Memorial: Monument

Visit Instructions:VISIT LOGS

1. The waymark coordinates must be personally visited.
2. Give the date and a description of your visit
3. Post at least one photo taken at the time of your visit